Poop scooping and packaging assembly

Abstract

A scooping and packaging assembly adapted to scoop up and package poop deposited on a surface by a pet animal on a surface so that one may then dispose of the poop. The assembly consists of a loop provided with a handle, a hand-held wand and a rectangular plastic-film bag whose dimensions are such that when the loop and wand are inserted into the bag through its open end, they are separated from each other to an extent permitting manipulation of the wand relative to the loop. In operating the assembly, the user, who in one hand grasps the handle of the loop, and in the other grasps the wand while holding onto the open end of the bag, advances the closed end of the bag along the surface toward the poop and manipulates the wand to push the poop onto the outside of the bag in the region within the confines of the loop, the poop depressing the region to form a pocket depending from the loop. Then, after removing the wand from the bag, the user inverts the bag over the pocket so that now the poop is inside the bag and is packaged thereby in condition for disposal.

We claim: 
     
       1. A poop scooping and packaging assembly adapted to scoop up and package poop deposited by an animal on a surface, said assembly comprising: (a) a loop provided with a handle;   (b) a hand-held wand; and   (c) a rectangular bag formed of synthetic plastic-film material having an open end through which the loop and the wand are inserted, and a closed end, said bag having dimensions permitting the loop and wand inserted in the bag to occupy positions adjacent opposite sides of the bag, the loop and the wand being then separated from each of other within the bag to an extent permitting manipulation of the wand relative to the loop whereby the poop may be scooped onto an outside surface of the bag in a region thereof confined by the loop the poop causing the region to depress to form a pocket depending from the loop, the user then inverting the bag over this pocket to place the poop inside the bag and thereby create a package for disposing of the poop.   
     
     
       2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said loop is formed by a hoop of resilient wire having spaced ends, and said handle has long edges defined by a pair of parallel cylinders, each cylinder having at its front end a bore to receive a respective end of the hoop, thereby creating the loop. 
     
     
       3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said hoop is made of a length of stainless steel wire which is bent into a hoop shape. 
     
     
       4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said hoop is defined by a semi-circular end joining converging sides. 
     
     
       5. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said wand is formed by an endless loop of wire having parallel branches. 
     
     
       6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said wand has a rear end section that is angled with respect to the branches to form a handle for the wand. 
     
     
       7. An assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said handle is provided with an arched web that bridges said cylinders to create a channel-shaped handle, said wand being slidable in said channel to form a compact assembly. 
     
     
       8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein said channel-shaped handle is dimensioned to store a supply of said bags. 
     
     
       9. A technique making use of a loop having a handle, a wand and a rectangular plastic-film bag having an open end and a closed end to scoop up and package poop deposited by an animal on a surface comprising the steps of: (a) manually inserting the loop and the wand through the open end into the bag so that they occupy positions adjacent the sides of the bag and are spaced from each other by a distance sufficient to permit manipulation of the wand relative to the loop, the loop handle being held in one hand of the user and the wand in the other hand;   (b) holding the open end of the bag with the fingers of the same hands which hold the handle of the loop and the wand so as to retain the loop and wand within the bag while advancing the closed end of the bag along the surface toward the poop;   (c) manipulating the bag-covered wand so as to place the poop over an outside surface of the bag to occupy a region within the confines of the bag-covered loop and to depress this region to form a pocket depending from the loop; and   (d) inverting the bag over the pocket to place the poop inside the bag and thereby create a disposable package.